As Of Now
by ClockworkInTheCloset
Summary: Join our heroes on their quest, traversing the land of As Of Now, a game designed just for them. But what dangers await them in this land? What will they face?
1. Chapter 1

This story does not start at the beginning. No, no, it starts far from then. I guess you could say this is a bit of a warning. I guess you could say it's not. This is a story about heroes being born, about heroes' quests, about friendship, about life, and about death. Whatever you'd like to call it, that is what it is. That's because, now, we'll start at the beginning. A time ago, not forgotten, but not remembered. A summer day like no other, but a summer day just like any other. And a quarter that changed a group of peoples' lives.

It starts in an attic. A dusty old attic, that is occupied by two twins. Dipper and Mabel Pines, not unheard of, but not well known. They set out towards the arcade in town. The small little town of theirs, so much different on the inside, yet so peaceful. No one would suspect a thing if they were just passing through for the day. When they arrived at the arcade, they set out in search of a game to play. After using most of their coins they looked around for one last game to play. As they looked, they spotted a game, farther towards the back. On the side of it the words 'As Of Now' were painted on it. They walked over to it. It seemed interesting enough, so Mabel got out their last quarter and put it in, before noticing it took two quarters. But, as the twins were about to leave, Dipper spotted a quarter on the ground near the game. He picked it up and examined it. One side was the head of a man, but not one of the presidents, and the other side sported the same head, but had a slash through it. Mabel snatched it from him and put it in the machine. The words 'Press Start' flashed on the screen. Dipper pressed the button and selected multiplayer. After a few moments of silence, Bill Cipher popped up on the screen. "Hey there Pine Tree, and hello Shooting Star!" Bill exclaimed. "Anyways, how about we start this game, I can just tell it'll be great!" He said, and with the snap of his fingers, Dipper and Mabel were no longer in the real world. They had been trapped in 'As Of Now'.

Sam and Dean Winchester. Two hunters who were currently in the sleepy little town of Gravity Falls, because Castiel had sent them there. They were supposed to be looking out for a 'blue box', from what Castiel had said. They had seen no such thing all day. Even when they stopped for lunch at a diner in town, the name of which was Greasy's Diner. They were parked across the street from the local arcade. Lots of kids went in and out, but two specifically caught their eyes. Two kids, a boy and a girl who looked to be twins, went in earlier, and even after closing time, they didn't come out. It was hard to miss them. The girl with her oversized, brightly colored sweater, and the boy with his hat, a blue pine tree on it, and his dark blue vest. They almost looked as if they were dressed for a colder season than summer. Fall, or even perhaps winter. When the sun began to set, they went around back and 'let themselves in.' By which I mean, they broke in. Not really that hard to figure out. They looked around the darkened store, only illuminated by the light from outside. There was, however, the faint glowing of a game that had been left on. They walked over to it and examined it. The game was at the character select screen. The characters, a boy and a girl, looked very familiar. They realized it was the two they had seen enter the arcade earlier, but not come out. As the two further examined the game, they heard a strange vworping sound, and a loud crash resound through the arcade. The hunters whipped around, looking for what ever made the crashing sound. They heard a voice, no, voices near the back of the store. The voices seemed to be getting closer, and the brothers could find no where to hide. They both suddenly heard a small sound that almost sounded like a click. They both looked back to the game, realizing that they had accidentally chosen a character. With a burst of music and a bright flash of light, Sam and Dean had both been sent into the game as well.

A blue box, the one the Winchesters were supposed to be looking for, materialized in an arcade, sporting the guise of a public police box. It materialized in the back of the building, its doors blocked by some stacked boxes. The doors were flung open and the boxes came tumbling down with a crash.

"Well then... ah, nothing to bad, an easy fix." A man said, stepping out of the blue box and examining the boxes that had fallen.

"Oh well, come along then!" He called into the blue box. Another man stepped out, thoroughly confused.

"Why are we here?" He asked. Before the first man could reply, a third man stepped out of the box and towards the front door. "Sherlock, wait!" The second one called. The first two men followed after him, towards the front door as well.

"Sherlock, sto-" The second man started before he was interrupted by the sudden start of music. They all stopped and looked around, quickly spotting the game 'As Of Now'. They all walked over to it, confused as to why it was on. As they examined the game, they heard faint laughter. It grew louder and louder until it was right behind them. It stopped and a voice said

"Wow, this was easier than I expected! Thanks for saving me the trouble, Doc!" It said, laughing once more. With a snap of their fingers, the three, including the blue box, were sent into the game.

"Ha, humans are so dumb! But I suppose they can be useful sometimes... especially little Pine Tree." And with one last flash of light, the dream demon was gone as well. Such a simple plan, and if all went accordingly, there wouldn't be a soul left alive who could stop them.


	2. Chapter 2

Dipper sat up, yawning and rubbing his eyes. He looked around, not recognizing where he and Mabel were. While looking around he noticed other people, five, to be exact, also near them. When the fact that he and Mabel were pretty much surrounded by five fully grown men who could be feigning unconsciousness finally kicked in, he let out a startled shout and grabbed Mabel's arm, waking her up quickly and pulling her away from them, into a conveniently placed cliff wall. Two of the men stirred, sitting up slowly. They spotted Dipper and Mabel who were also looking back at them. One of them looked like they were about to speak before the rest of the men began to stir. After a few minutes of silence in which all of the men stood up, dusted themselves off and surveyed their surroundings, everyone had gotten their bearings and began to talk to each other. All except Dipper and Mabel. They felt rather out of place there. No one had even noticed them yet, besides the two men that had woken up first and saw them, but it seemed kind of like they'd been forgotten. So, rather then stay where they were, the twins had started trying to sneak away. Their plan went up in smoke, though, as they had been spotted.

"And where exactly do you two think you're going, Pine Tree and Shooting Star?" Asked one of the men, who was wearing a trench coat. The rest of the group turned to face the twins as Mabel and Dipper's expression turned to glares and Mabel pulled out her grappling hook and yelled.

"I am not afraid to use this, Bill, and you possessing someone makes it all the more dangerous!"

"Wait, possession? Sherlocks been possessed?" Another man asked. "And who's Bill?"

"Wait, Sherlock? You melted though! I watched you melt and fall off the roof, months ago!" Dipper said. By this point, everyone was more than confused.

"Melt? I can't melt, I'm human. And I have no idea who Bill is... John, calm down." The man, who they now knew as Sherlock, said. Another man, who Sherlock referred to as John was quivering, almost as if he had been reminded of something terrible.

"So then, you're not the wax figure I fought on the roof of the Mystery Shack...? And you're not possessed by Bill, so why'd you call us Pine Tree and Shooting Star?" Dipper asked.

"First of all, how could you fight a wax figure? They don't come to life. I should know, me and Sam have encountered a of of mythical creatures, but never living wax figures. Secondly, who's Bill?" The man who asked if Sherlock was posed earlier asked. At this, Dipper rolled his eyes.

"Well, obviously you haven't. Only cursed wax figures come to life. And Bill is a dream demon. An annoying, triangle, dream demon." Dipped said.

"Please, educate me. You obviously seem to know much more than me."

"I will. I will also ignore your sarcastic tone." Dipper said, pulling out the journal. "This is journal number three. We don't know where the first two are, and we don't know who wrote them. We do know that he is- well, was, a genius. Now please, if you're such a expert, what creature can show you your worst fears if you look into its eye?"

"Uh..."

"A Gremgoblin. Have you ever raised the dead? I have. Have you ever been possessed? I have. Have you ever risked your life, the lives of your loved ones, just for answers?! I HAVE! So don't you go doubting me just because I'm a twelve year old. I may not look like much, but I am so much more than what you think." Dipper said, glaring, pissed off. He didn't really know way he was.

"Wow, Pine Tree, I didn't expect that from you! I'm surprised!" A voice rung out as the color drained from the world. Bill appeared, hovering above the group.

"That's Bill." Dipper said, pointing at Bill.

"It certainly is, Pine Tree!" He said. "And I see you've met everyone else! Great, I'll explain the rules then! You're all a team, basically. John, Sherlock, Sam, Dean and the Doctor. That's everyone! Well, Pine Tree and Shooting Star, for those who don't know... anyway, the rules are simple! Get through the game, collect the items, don't expect the surprise waiting for you at the end of the game! Bye-bye! And good luck!"

"Wait, what? What surprise?!" Dipper asked, but by the time he'd finished speaking, Bill had disappeared. They all woke up and sat up, looking confused.

"How'd we end up on the ground?" Asked John.

"Dream demon. He invades your dreams, so we were asleep." Dipper responded. After a few minutes of silence, in which everyone got up and dusted themselves off, or something like that, the Doctor spoke up.

"So, your names aren't really Pine Tree and Shooting star, right?" He asked.

"Obviously. I'm Dipper, she's Mabel." Dipper, once again, responded.

"Well then, nice to meet you." He said. By this point, most everybody was looking around. The place they were in seemed like the forest surrounding the Mystery Shack, but... brighter? No, that wasn't the word. More pastel...? No, that wasn't it either. Well, in a way, those would be the correct way to describe the place. No one said a word as they looked around, but it went unspoken, as they all knew, that they were in for a long ride.


End file.
